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April 21, 1925. R 16,046

R. A. GREENE NUT MILL Original Filed p 4, 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Z lg VENTOR ATTORNEY lie. 16,046

April. 21', 1925.

R. A. GREENE NUT MILL Original Filed Sept. 4, 1920 3 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY A ril'zl; 1925. 1 Re. 16,046

I R. GREENE I NUT MILL Original Filed pt. 4, 1920 5 ShbBts-Sheet 5 7 4 "V -b I 7 'Z 57 4: O a f 65' E- INV NTOR T E M; LC. ATTORNEY seam d-Aer. 21, 1925. I

UNITED STATES.

Re. 16,046 PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD A. GREENE, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO JABEZ BURIIB & SONS, A CORPORATION OF. NEW YORK.

NUT

Original Io. 1,304,0aa, dated some: is, 192;, Serial in. 402,124, filed September 4,-1920. Application "melmfe filed October 11,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD A. GREENE,

to discharge mills especiall intended for. grinding nuts orsuch simi ar edible oily or atty bodies.

The consumption of peanut butter is constantly increasing and a demand has arisen for a nut mill which will have a large capacity of uniform output for a prolonged period, without shut downs for repairs, cleaning, sharpening of grinders, etc. In previous patents issued to me, nut mills are disclosed which are superior in output and longevity to previous mills, but the demands of the trade for constantly eater output and reduced number of shutdbwns for sharpening, cleaning and repairs, have necessitated an intensive and extended study of the entire problem, resulting in the resent invention by which extremely satisactory results are obtained.

I have found that the maximum output for a given size of mill, with minimum sharpemng of grinders, and avoidance of excessive stresses in the machine (particularly the thrust bee g which has heretofore been a source trouble) is obtained by the combination of a forced feed screw cooperating with a suitably, preferably longitudinall grooved casing feeding the nuts itive y under heavy pressure to flat grin ng disks and maintaining the heavy pressure on the nuts by means of a tapering reduction passage not onl to, but entirely through the grinders to this combination, not only is the output as compared withprevious mills either of the 4 cone or pe substantially increased, but I have discovered that flat disks do not require such frequent sharpening, and the 4 strain on the bearing is not as great for a given output with flat disks as with cone grinders. v

'For example, I have found that new grinders when pushed to capacity, lose within a coin aratively short time, a r-' c'entage-of iency. With cone grin are,

e discharge. By

1923. Serial No. 668,020.

the loss of elliciency is not only greater but more rapid and regressive than with disk grinders, while increase of power simply dulls such grinders more rapidly and increases the thrust bearing load, the limits being either breaking of the bearing, stoppage of feed by the feed screw and easing grooves clog ing up, or stalling of the motor. Wit disk grinders on the contrary, I have found that the ressures on the thrust bearing are decidedly less; the feed does not clog up; nor does the efliciency of disks substantially drop for a lon time after the initial drop always met wit new .disks. The motor may of course be stalled under some conditions, but my experience seems to indicate that an essential condition for a high efliciency disk mill is that the pressure must be maintained throu bout the disks until theactual grinding and 'scharge under pressure from the disks is efiected.

An advantage obtained by a discharge under pressure is that by employing a strong pressure resisting casing with a discharge spout, the nut butter comes out in a solid pasty mm free from air bubbles and can be readily filled directly into small containers commonly used in the retail trade, while heretofore, it has been necessary to provide a small machine, such as a meat chopper, to compress the ground nuts for filling into jars. 1

This invention further comprises the specific structure whereby the mill can be .quickly disassembled for cleaning,and also renewal of the feed screw casing as a unit had when worn, without excessive expense.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a grinder embodying the. invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view; Fig. 3 is a detail;

grin ers- 5 is a section;

Fig. 6 1s a section on the line 6-6-of Fig.

4, and

Fig. 8 is a section on the 8-8 of Fi 4. A

fieferring to the fdniwings, -1 1s a m'aig supporting frame armed 0 two s ace '15 connected at the lowe e y Fi 4 is a face view of one of the annular 7 Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig.

4 a web. The upper ends of these pedestals ency to clogging.

have journals 3 carrying the power shaft 2. 4 is a driving pulley loosely mounted on shaft 2, and 5 is aclutch operated by collar 6 from .a hand shifting lever pivoted on the feed screw casing 15, for clutching the pulley 4!.- to shaft 2 through the clutch member 7 keyed to shaft 2. i

The end of the shaft 2 is provided with clutch teeth 8 which interlock with corresponding teeth 9 on the solid end 10 of slow pitch feed screw 11 to drive the latter; The ends of the shaft 2 and the feed screw are recessed to receive the coil spring 12, tending to hold the grinders apart. The end of the frame 1 is provided-with a boss or flange 13, to which is separably' bolted by bolts 15L through flange 16 the feed screw casing 15. This feed screw casing is a casting having a boss 17 around opening 19 to receive the supply chute 18, discharging over the inner end of feed screw 11. The casing 15 is also provided with straight longitudinal feed grooves 19 WVith straight grooves, it has been found by actual experience that the feed screw is much more positive than if the grooves are spiral, and with less tendare four ribs and four grooves, one of the ribs being showr i in dottedlines behind the feed screw in Fig. 1. The chute 18 is separably attached bolts 20.

The end of the feed screw casing 15 is provided with a flange 21 carrying the stationary annular disk grinder 22 by bolts 23. The feed screw casing, being most subject to wear, is made renewable as a unit. The

design of ribs and grooves maybe left to individual choice, except that both grinders are of plane annular formwith non-radial grooves below the surface.

The grinders 22, 29 may be alike, and F igs. 4 and 8 show a satisfactory design. Eachgrinder is mounted by means of three bolts 60 to its supporting element and Fig. 6 shows how the tapering reduction passage 58 is formed, this passage of course differing slightly at different points on the grinder. Generally the inner periphery of the grinder is serrated, as by indentations 61, and immediately beyond these indentations are fiat surfaces 62 somewhat below the main planev surface 63 ofthe grinder, while beyond the flat portions 62 are non-radial grooves 64, the section of which is shown in Fig. 8 up to the points in Fig. 4 and from then on is shown in Fig. 7, it being seen that the teeth formed by these grooves project in one direction and are somewhat rounded in Fig. 8, while the outer teeth in Fig. 7 project in the other direction and are flat on top, while -the fastening bolts 60 are roughened or' grooved in a similar manner. It results from this that the course of the material in As shown herein, there to the boss 17 by means of both of these movements being modified by the grooves.

As will be'seen from Fig. 1, the feed screw tapers outwardly at the grinder end into a slightly conical portion which fits within the movab e grinder annulus 29, the latter being bolted to the flange 28 of the feed screw. Beyond the flange 28 is the'bearing portion 30 revolving in the cylindrical extension 31 of casing 26. The bearing is closely fitted to prevent escape of oil from the nuts, or may be specially packed, as the heavy pressure will force the oil into every crevice, unless prevented, and peanut oil is of little or no lubricating value. Beyond the end of the bearing portion 30 is a ball thrust bearing 32 and a thrust block 33 controlled by a screw 34 threaded in the outer end of the cover and operated by hand wheels 35, this screw and thrust. mechanism operating through the feed screw against the spring 12.

Just within the inner periphery of grinder 22 the casing is flared as shown in Fig. 1, while as shown in the same figure, the grinders are recessed .on their inner portions to form a tapering reduction passage 58 leading to the relatively narrow outer flat grinding faces proper. From this construction, it results that there is no release of pressure on the nuts after the passages are once filled, and-the passage area progressively reduces (by reason of the flared casing, the conical portion on the feed screw, and the space 58), so that the pressure increases to a maximum at the peripheral grinding portions of the annular grinders, at least partial crushing having previously taken place. Owing to the relatively narrow flat grinding faces at the peripher of' the grinders, friction, with objectionable heating of the nut paste, does not become excessive in maintaining the pressure through and beyond the grinders. Also, there are no unobstructed radial passages in the flat grinding portions through which unground material vcan flow, as it certainly would do if not prevented, owing to the heavy pressure enrplo-yed. With this mill, new grinders show after a short time, a slight reduction in efficiency, but thereafter work for prolonged periods with very little change, while conical grinders constantly lose efficiency.

The flange 21 carries lugs 24 through which pass clamp hooks 25 which engage with the pressure resisting close fitting casing 26, the rear ends of the screws being threaded and carrying wing nuts 27 for holding the casing tightly against flange 21,

cover and the flange to maintain a tight joint against oil which might be forced out,

owin to the heavy pressure at this point. By t is. means, the casing readily centers itself, and can be set so that the spout 56 dischar es at any desired angle.

The xfiutch collar 6 is connected by 36 to an operating handle 37 pivoted at 38 on the feed screwcasing 15 for purposes of convenience, as the operating handle 37 could ually well be pivoted on the frame 1. The bo ts 14 constitute studs threaded into the flange 13 and carry the detachable feed casing, etc., as before described on one end, while on the other end, these same studs carry casting 39 having sockets to receive rods 40 secured by set screws 41. The rods 40 carry the nut hopper 42 and seasoning hopper 43, the former having a bottom shakin mechanism 51 shaken from pulleyl 44' through belt 45 to pulley 46 on shaft 47 aving eccentric 48 through forked lever 49 pivoted at on one of the rods'40 and shaking the bottom through link 50, thereby discharging the nuts into chute 18. 52 is the adjustable gate by which the feed to 51 is vcontrolled, this gate having a depending end 53 which abuts against the sides of the hopper bottom when in lowest position, and set by wing nut 54.

The nuts to be ground are fed to screw 11 and are immediate y taken by that screw and positively forced under pressure along the casin any tendency to jam or become solid y packed being resisted by the lon tudinal grooves 19. The nuts are positive y forced under, between and from the disk nders into the chamber surrounding the isks. Air is forced out by the pressure and after the first of the paste comes out of spout 56, the remainder comes out forcibly in a continuous solid and homogeneous stream with no voids or air bubbles. It will be seen that pressure is constantly on the nuts from the t1me they first pass into. the feed screw casing until the paste issues at the spout 56.

-As the paste issues from spout 56 it is received in a container 57 which is held at the mouth of the spout and may be filled comletely with paste, without voids or airof the described force feed with disk grinders.

having non-radial groovesenables me to obtain a higher output of homogeneous for a lon to maintaln a ressure on the from the no e without 0 aste carrying time without sharpening, and

cessive heating, and merely absorbs a large amount of power, with actual reduction of output.

The facility afforded in this machine for cleaning is quite apparent. The quickly removable casing permits endwise withdrawal of the feed screw carrying the .movable grinder without releasing an other connections, owing to the interloc 'ng slip jV%i}1l1t between the shaft 2 and the feed screw.

en the cover is put back and the clamp 27 tightened the thrust adjustment has not been changed and the machine can go on running as before, without bein readjusted.

If it is desired to 0 can or inspect feed casing 15 it is only necessa to remove the bolts 14 and the feed casing is in hand read for any kind of cleaning desired and without disturbing any other essential parts of the mill. The thrust adjustment is not chan (1, nor is the hopper or seasoning device ismounted. Moreover, I have found it cheaper to make the longitudinal grooved casing a renewable unit as here shown than as a renewable bushing requiring considerable machine work and considerable dismounting: to replace and set.

What claim is:

1. A mill for grinding peanuts and the like into smooth paste comprising a frame grooves to, feed the nuts forward under pressure, an annular flat grindercarried at the end of the feed screw, a stationary annular disk grinder cooperating therewith means for resisting the thrust of the grinders, the end of the feed casing, the feed screw and the grindersbeing formed to provide a progressively narrowing passage to the flat aces of the inders to maintain the nuts under increasing pressure between the feed screw and the periphery of the ders, and the flat faces of the grinders avingnonradial grooves therein, whereby prwsure is maintained on the nuts by the feed to and through the grinders without overheating and without excessive thrust. o

2. A mill for grinding peanuts and the like into smooth paste compris' a frame a hopper for nuts, a g d screw aving internal longitudinal grooves casing with an opemng to receive the nuts to be und, a slow pitch feed screw in said casmg cooperating with said longitudinal grooves to feed the nuts forward -under nuts under increasing pressure between the feed screw and the periphery of the grinders, and the flat faces of the grinders having non-radial grooves therein, and a pressure resisting casing inclosing the grinders and having a discharge. spout, whereby pressure is maintained on the nuts by the feed to and through the grindeisand within the casing to the spout without overheating and without excessive thrust. 1

3. A renewable feed screw casing for a peanut mill comprising a hollow body having longitudinal internal grooves carrying a flange at each end, one flange being attachable to the frame of the mill and the other being adapted to carry an annular grinder and a fitted cover,and the body having an opening for supplying nuts adjacent the former flange.

4. A mill comprising a frame carrying a driving shaft and a feed hopper, a feed screw casing comprising a tubular longitudinally grooved body attachable at one end to the frame and having a flange at the otherend, a feed screw in said casing sep arably interlocking with said shaft, 21 mo-vable annular grinder mounted on the feed screw beyond the feed screw casing flange,-

ing a discharge spout separably secured to said feed screw casing flange and also having an end bearing for the feed screw, and an adjustable thrust .bearing member carried by thecasing and cooperating with the bearing end of the feed screw.

5. A mill comprising a base carrying a driving shaft, a feed casing separably secured at one end to said base in line with said shaft and carrying a grinder at the other end, a hopper discharging through said casing, and a feed screw in said casing supported at both ends by said casing and.

separably interlocking with said drive shaft at its inner end and carrying a grinder at its outer end cooperating with said first grinder.

6. In a mill having a rotatable and a. stationary grinder and a feed screw connected to the rotatable grinder feeding through the center of the stationary grinder, an interiorly grooved casing for the feed screw supporting the feedscrew at both ends constituting a renewable unit separably, at-

tached to the frame of the machine at one end and carrying the stationary grinder at the other end.

7 A nut mill comprising a base carrying a driving shaft, a feed casing ,on the base having interior feed grooves and connect-ion with a hopper, a fixed grinder at the end of the feed casing, a feed screw within the casing supported at both ends by the casing and having separable interlocking connection with the driving shaft, a movable grinder carried by the end of the feed screw cooperating with the stationary grinder, and

means for regulating the space between said grinders.

8. A nut mill comprising a base carrying a driving shaft, a feed casing on the base having interior feed grooves and connection with a hopper, a fixed grinder at the-end of the feed casing, a feed screw within the casing supported at both ends by the casing 9. A nut mill comprising a base carrying 1 a driving shaft, a feed casing on the base having interior feed grooves and connection with a hop-per, a fixed grinder at the end of the feed casing, a feed screw within the casing supported at both ends by the casing and having separable interlocking -connection with the driving shaft, a movable grinder carried by the end of the feed screw cooperating with the stationary grinder, and I means for regulating the space between said grinders comprising a spring for forcing the feed screw axially relatively to the drive shaft at the driving connection and an adj ustable abutment for controlling such movement. v

' 10. A nut mill comprising a base carrying a driving shaft, a feed casing on the base having interior feed rooves and connection with a hopper, a'fixe grinder at the end of the feed casing, a feed screw within the easing supported at both ends by the casing and having separable interlocking connection with the driving shaft, a movable grinder carried by the end of the feed screw cooperating with the stationary grinder, and means for regulating the space etween said grinders comprising a spring between the inner end of the feed screw and the end of the drive shaft tending to separate screw andshaft, and an adjustable thrust bearing carried by the casing beyond ,the movable grinder for moving the feed screw and grinder against said spring to adjust the grinding space Without disconnecting the feed screw and shaft. V

11. A mill for grinding peanuts and the like into smooth paste comprising a. pair of grinding disks having opposexl grinding carryingdriving means, a tubular feed screw casing detachably connected at one end thereto, having internal feed grooves and an opening through the side to receive nuts, a fixed grinder carried by the other end of said tubular casing, a feed screw in said casing and having separable driving connection with said driving means, a movable grinder carried by said feed screw, a delivery casing carried by the feed screw casing 'inclosing said grinders and having a spout for delivering the ground paste under pressure, and thrust and supporting bearings for the other end of the feed screw in said latter casing.

13. A flat disk mill for grinding peanuts and the like into a smooth paste and delivering same under pressure from a spout for directly and solidly packing into -containers, comprising a longitudinally grooved tubular feed screw casing receiving the nuts to be ground, a feed screw for feeding them therethrough under pressure, flat grinding disks, one being movable, for receiving the nuts under pressure and maintaining the pressure while the nuts are being ground, a

pressure resisting casing surrounding the grinders to receive the ground: paste and hold it under pressure, and a discharge spout on said casing for discharging the paste under pressure directly into a container.

14. A flat disk mill for grinding nuts into smooth paste and packing it directly into containers under pressure and without voids, comprising a hopper for the nuts, a feed screw casing receiving nuts from the hopper, a feed screw in the casing for feeding the nuts under pressure, a fixed disk grinder and a movable disk grinder constructed and arranged to receive and grind the nuts to smooth paste and discharge the paste under pressure, and a casing having a discharge spout adapted to be inserted in the'container to be filled, said casing holding and dischargin .the paste under pressure whereby it Iggy filled into the container free of vol 15. In a mill for grinding nuts to paste and seasoning same, a main frame carrying driving mechanism and hoppers for nuts and seasoning material, means for controlling the feed of seasoning material, and

grinding mechanism detachably connected to the frame comprising a tubular feed screwcasing having an opening receiving the discharge of nuts and seasoning material to be ground, a feed screw in said casing having detachable interlocking Qdriving connection with said driving mechanism, a. fixed grinder carried by said feed screw casing, and a cooperating movable grinder carried by the feed screw.

16. A mill for grinding nuts into smooth paste comprising a pair of grinding disks having coacting grinding faces constructed to reduce nuts to paste, a tapering passage leading to said grinding faces, and a continuously acting slow pitch feed screw constructed to positively feed the nuts under continuously increasing high pressure into said passage and between the disks.

17. A mill for grinding nuts into smoot paste comprising a pair of grinding disks having coacting grinding faces constructed to reduce nuts to paste, a tapering passage leading to said grinding faces, a slow pitch pressure feed screw and coacting longitudinally grooved feed casing constructed to positively feed the nuts under high pressure into said passage, and means for feeding nuts into the casing.

18. A mill for grinding peanuts and the like comprising a pair of substantially plane disks having opposed grinding faces with gradually reducing passages, means for rotating one of said disks, means for feeding the nuts under pressure between said disks, a pressure resisting casing around said disks, and a discharge spout to discharge the ground paste under pressure.

19. In a mill-for grinding nuts to paste,

a hopper for'the nuts, a feed-screw casing having an opening to receive material from the hopper, grinding disks located beyond the feed screw casing, a feed screw within the feed screw casing adapted to feed the nuts under pressure from the hopper to the of New York and State of New York this- 10 day of October, 1923. v

- A. GREENE.

. RICHARD 

